


The Cookie Jar & Other Sweeties

by mAadMax



Series: Harringrove Week of Love [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, billy is a punk who cooks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 17:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17729855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mAadMax/pseuds/mAadMax
Summary: Billy didn't expect to get a crush on one of the bakery's client but look at where he is now.





	The Cookie Jar & Other Sweeties

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Happy Harringrove Week of Love! 
> 
> This is my Bakery!au for the 1st day of the prompts.
> 
> Hope you like it! <3

Billy flipped the sign on the door, the “open” side facing the street. It was a little after nine in the morning and he was at the bakery since a little after six, working on the cakes and other sweets that were on display today. It was a cold Wednesday in the city of Chicago, so he turned the coffee and hot chocolate machine too. 

“The Cookie Jar & Other Sweeties” had opened a year ago, after Billy finished his cooking course and decided he wanted to live baking cakes, cookies and many more sugary foods. He had managed to save enough to open the little bakery next to his apartment in Chicago. His step-sister, Maxine, had helped him plan the colors and decoration on the place. If you took a look at the bakery, you’d think the owner was a sweet young girl, who loved pastel colors, since the whole place was in light pink, white and light blue colors, topped with cute decorations of candies and other sweets. That’s why people were always surprised to see Billy behind the counter in a pastel pink apron. He knew the scene was funny, after all he was a tall and muscular guy, with long blond hair (that was always up in a bun on ponytail), some tattoos on his arms and a piercing on his nose.

The first clients arrived at nine forty and Billy greeted them with a wave. It was Mr. and Mrs. Brown, an old and really sweet couple that stopped once a week at the shop to eat breakfast. Billy walked to their table, ready to get their order.

“Morning, Billy. How you’ve been, my dear?” Mrs. Brown asked him, taking his hand in hers, patting it. She always did this after discovering that Billy didn’t talk to his parents anymore. She took Billy under her wings and treated him like a son every time they went to the bakery.

“Morning, Mrs. Brown. I’ve been great, what about you? Still trying to win over this old man about the cat situation?” Billy smiled at her, watching her husband laugh in his peripheral vision.

“Don’t remind her of that Billy. She will start talking about it and won’t stop.” Mr. Brown closed his eyes and shook his head. They were arguing for weeks about getting a cat to make them company, since they lived alone, all of their children living outside of their home.

“I’m sorry, but you do know I’m team cat all the way. So, what can I get both of you today? I just took some strawberry muffins out of the oven.” Billy asked them, writing down their order and going back to the counter to get everything. 

He spent the rest of his morning watching them talk and being lovey dovey while a few other clients came and go. They were such a lovely couple and you could see how much love they had for each other. Billy wished he would find a love like theirs one day.

A little after one in the afternoon the door opened, the little bell above it jingling, letting Billy know a new client had entered the bakery. He had his back to the counter, oven mitts in his hand while he took the new batch of chocolate cookies out of the over, placing them on the back counter, before turning around to meet the customer.

Billy was taken aback by the figure in front of him. The guy was gorgeous. He had brown hair that looked really fluffy and made Billy want to run his hand through it. The hair was accompanied by his big brown eyes that made the guy look cute like Bambi, and red lips that looked so soft he was sure the guy used chapstick. He wondered if it was flavored chapstick. Billy shook his head sending the thoughts away, trying to act normal in front of his client and greeted him.

“Hello. Welcome to the Cookie Jar. I’m Billy, how can I help you?” He smiled at the guy, who just like his first time clients was surprised by Billy’s appearance and then tried to not let it show. Billy let out a soft laugh, waiting for the guy to speak up.

The guy scratched his throat before replying. “Hi. I was looking for a birthday cake for today. I know its last minute but I was so busy and totally forgot to buy it earlier and if I don’t get the cake, Dustin will kill me and…” The guy looked like he was going to hyperventilate soon so Billy raised his hand, to make him stop talking.

“Hey, take a breath or you’ll pass out. It’s okay, I have some cakes I made in the morning, I’m sure we can find something that will make this Dustin guy happy.” He walked to the cake’s showcase and motioned for the guy to follow him. “So, I have this one that’s red velvet and white chocolate covered with raspberries on top. I have this one too and it’s a new recipe. It’s a churro cake filled with a brazilian cream called ‘doce de leite’, it’s similar to caramel and it’s really good if you like sugary cakes. I also have the cliché chocolate cake and this vanilla one filled with cream and strawberries.” Billy finished talking and turned to face his client, who was looking at the cakes with a confused face. Billy wanted to laugh because he had a really cute confused face. “You want my help choosing one?”

The boy turned to Billy and let out a soft “please” before turning back to the cakes. “I’d take the churro one. It’s really sweet, so it’s not everyone’s taste, but to be honest it’s one of my favorites.” 

“Well, Dustin loves everything that has sugar on it so he’ll probably eat the whole thing if I let him. I’m going to take the churro cake, please.” The guy turned and smiled at Billy, who smiled back and moved to grab the cake so he could put inside the safe box. He walked back to the counter to wrap it and charge the brown eyed guy.

“Here’s your change. I hope you guys like the cake. Have a great week.” Billy let out his best smile, the one he knew made people’s knee weak and watched the boy’s face flush a little, before he told Billy goodbye and left the bakery with the cake in hand.

Billy’s only thought after seeing the boy leave through the door was “I hope he comes back soon.”

~

He didn’t come back. At least not until Christmas week, when Billy had the most movement of clients at the bakery, everyone looking to buy his sugar Christmas themed cookies and to order cakes and pies for the Christmas’ dinner. He was actually finishing a new batch of cookies, decorating the little trees, reindeers and snowmen, while a couple of his clients were sitting at the tables enjoying the food and hot chocolate, when the door’s bell jingled. He lifted his head to look at the door and saw that beautiful face again. 

Dropping the cream on the counter he walked to the cookie’s case, where the guy was looking once again confused.

“Hi. Can I help you?” Billy plastered the softest smile on his face while the guy looked up from the cookies to Billy, smiling back.

“Hi. Well, once again I forgot to buy it sooner so now here I am trying to find something to give to five teens that are coming to spend Christmas with me.” The guy ran his hand through his hair, looking anxious.

“Jesus Christ. Five teenagers? Big family, I assume?” Billy laughed at the boy.

“I kind of was their babysitter when they were younger and they won’t let me go, I’m stuck with them forever, according to Dustin.” He laughed with Billy and looked down at the cookies again.

Oh, so Dustin was a friend of his. “Dustin was the one you bought the cake last month for, right?”

“Yeah, you remember that?” The guy raised his eyebrow at Billy.

“Of course, I always remember my clients. Did you guys like the cake?” Billy had now leaned on top of the case, placing his chin on his hands and looking down at the guy.

“Oh, yes. It was really great. Dustin ate most of it but I managed to save some for me. Thanks for the help.”

“Any time. In fact, I’m going to help you again. You said you were looking for something to give five kids, right? Well, I make these bags with Christmas themed cookies. You see these?” Billy pointed to the snowmen and trees in the first shelf. “I take one of each, plus some of reindeer, Santa and a gift and put it inside this bags.” He took a transparent little baggy and showed Steve. “I finish them with a bow and a tiny sticker. It’s a hit on Christmas. People are always taking some to give out to their friends. Here try one.” Billy bent down to open the case and grabbed a snowmen cookie, placing it on a napkin and giving to the guy.

The boy took a bite on the cookie and took a few seconds tasting it before biting it again. From what Billy could tell he liked it.

“Oh. This is good, like, really good. I’m sold. I’m going to take five bags for them and I want one for myself.” 

Billy smiled at him before replying. “I’m finishing a new batch right now, if you want to sit and wait for a while, I can get them for you.”

“Sounds good, I’ll be sitting over there.” He smiled at Billy and went to one of the tables by the window.

Billy went back to the cookies on the counter. He was finishing Santa’s beard when a voice spoke next to him, making him jump.

“Who’s that guy?”

“God damn, Maxine. How many times I told you to not sneak up on me? I almost messed up the beard.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry. So, who’s that?” The redhead asked again, her gazer moving to the brown eyed boy.

“A client. He came here last month to buy a cake and now he’s back to buy cookies as gifts.” Billy shrugged, trying to act normal. He knew Max would catch on. 

“Just a client?” Her brows raising in question, making Billy roll his eyes at his step-sister.

“Yes, Max. I don’t even know his name. Now, please go back to work before you make me mess up the cookies.”

“If you say so.” The girl went back to work while Billy finished the cookies. He put them in the bags, closing it with different colors of tapes and bows, finishing them up with a sticker that said ‘happy holidays’. He had put two more cookies in one of the bags as a little gift. Making his way to the table where the boy was sitting, he placed the bags in front of him. “Here are the bags. What do you think?”

The boy took one in his hands and looked at the details. “These are so cute. I’m sure they’ll love it. Thanks. How much do I own you?”

“Thank you. The total is $60, I can charge you, come on.” Billy walked back to the counter, the bags in his hands, and made Max move from the cashier. “Oh, your bag has two extra cookies, so just find which one is yours before giving them to your children.” Billy smirked at him while placing the order.

“You didn’t need to do that, but thank you, I appreciate.” The guy paid for the cookies and took the paper bag from the counter, saying goodbye to Billy turning his back around to walk out of the door. He stopped near it, turning around again to look at Billy. “Steve. My name is Steve. Now you know.” He smiled once again and opened the door, stepping into the cold weather of December, hearing the redhead girl next to Billy laugh.

~

The next time Billy saw Steve was in the middle of January when the boy had come over to the bakery searching for some dessert to have at a dinner he was hosting at his place later that day. At least Steve had the decency of dropping by in the morning this time so Billy could help him.

“Ok, so what were you thinking about? Cake or pie?” Billy was leaned on the counter with a notepad and a pen, while Steve stood in front of him thinking about what type of dessert to get for the dinner. It was the first time Joyce and Hopper would come to visit him in the city, bringing Dustin, Jane and Will with them and he wanted to be a good host.

“I think Joyce would prefer pie. From what I could remember she always had some type of pie at her house for us to eat when I had to babysit the shitbirds. Hopper and the teens would probably eat anything.” 

“Pie it is. Do you have a flavor in mind? Not to brag but I can make a mean cherry pie. It’s the most ordered one too.” Billy started writing down stuff he needed to know to make Steve his pie. 

“Yeah, it can be cherry. It’s one of my favorite fruits and I’ve never had cherry pie.” Steve replied while walking to the cookie stand to take a look at them when they heard the door open. Billy saw his lovely couple walk inside and smiled at them.

“Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Brown. I’ll go take your order in a second! Just take a seat and feel at home.” Billy walked to where his pink apron was hanging and took it, putting on.

“I still find very funny that your apron is pink. Hell, it’s pretty funny that you run this place. When I first entered the bakery I was sure a tiny girl with cute pastel hair would be the owner. I was pretty surprised to see a punk running this pink heaven.” He heard Steve chuckle behind him and turned around to face him, laughing with him.

“Yeah, first timers are always surprised when they look at me. Hold on, I’m going to take their order and we can finish talking about the pie.” Billy said, moving to the table to greet the old couple and take their order.

“Morning, Billy. How you’ve been?” Mrs. Brown took his hand in hers and gave it a pat.

“Morning. I’m great, thank you. How about my favorite couple?” He smiled at them.

“We are great. Ralph here finally got around and we are getting a cat.” Billy turned his body to face the man, smiling even bigger.

“The only reason we are getting a cat is because there was a mouse at our house last Sunday and I had to kill it. With the cat I won’t have to do it again.” Billy let out a legit laugh at that.

“Sounds like a good reason. When are you going to get it?”

“We are going to the pet center after breakfast to take a look at their cats to see if we can adopt one. Now, Billy, who is that young and beautiful man at the counter?” Mrs. Brown’s gaze was directed at somewhere over Billy’s shoulder.

“That’s Steve. He’s a client. Maybe a new friend, I don’t know.” He shrugged and tried to not flush.

Mrs. Brown waved to Billy to come closer so she could whisper something to him.

“I’m sure that boy wants to be more than friends, sweetie. He keeps stealing glances at you.” Billy could feel his cheeks reddening and tried to laugh it off.

“You need to fix your glasses, no offense.”

“I think you are the one who needs to get a pair.” Mrs. Brown smiled at him before looking back at Steve, who was looking at them. She waved to the boy, who blushed in embarrassment of being caught staring.

“Martha, leave the poor boys alone. Billy, we will have our coffee as always and that strawberry muffin if you have it.” 

“Yeah, I made them because I knew you were going to drop by today. I’ll go get them.” With that Billy walked back to the counter, where Steve was now leaned and with flushed cheeks. 

“Are they your grandparents? You seem so comfortable around them” Steve asked while watching Billy walk around preparing their coffee.

“No, they’re just clients and friends. Martha took me under her wings after hearing about me not talking to my dad anymore and not having any other family, besides Max. They always come once a week.” Billy was finishing their coffee and moved to grab the muffins, grabbing three instead of two. “Here, eat this because you look like you left home without eating anything.” He dropped the muffin in front of Steve and went to their table to deliver the food, the couple thanking him before he walked back to the counter.

Billy took his notepad back to keep writing about the pie when he saw a line of numbers on the top of the page. It wasn’t his handwriting and it looked like a telephone number. “Did you just give me your phone number?” He smirked at Steve, who was busy eating the muffin and only nodded, swallowing the food so he could speak.

“Yeah. I mean, you need to call me when the pie is ready to be picked up, right?” Of course that’s why he had given his number to Steve. Why else? The guy was probably straight and here was Billy thinking he got the number because Steve was interested in him. 

“Oh right, yeah, sure. Well, I think I’ve got everything wrote down. You want to pay it now or when you come to pick it up?” Billy tried to act normal and not show he was disappointed.

They were interrupted by the old couple arriving at the counter to pay for the food. Mrs. Brown smiled at Steve, who smiled back, while Mr. Brown gave him a nod. 

“Billy, sweetie, the food was amazing as always, thank you!” Mrs. Brown said while her husband put the money on the counter, already knowing how much they owned Billy. “Now we are off to get out cat, before Ralph changes his mind. Have a great day you two.”

“Thank you for coming! Also, please feel free to bring the cat next week if you guys want, I’d love to meet it. See you next week.” Billy smiled at the couple before they walked to the door to leave.

“Oh. Billy, don’t forget to send us your wedding invitation in the future. I don’t want to miss you getting married to this gorgeous boy.” She turned around and walked outside, hearing her husband scold her and the boy chocking on his food, while Billy was left speechless. 

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry, Steve. She likes to joke around and sometimes she doesn’t give a fuck.” The baker was now incredibly blushed, while the boy in front of him tried to breath after almost dying.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. I was just not expecting it.” Steve’s cheeks were red too, probably even more red than Billy’s and he had a weird smile on his face. “Well, I need to go so here’s the money. Please let me know what time I can drop by to pick it up. Thanks. See you later, Billy.” The brown haired boy walked so fast to get out of the bakery that he almost tripped on his own feet.

Billy stood there looking at the door and thinking about things was going to be weird from now on. Steve looked like he didn’t want to be near Billy after the joke. The guy probably realized that Billy was actually gay and didn’t want to stay there anymore. 

“Fuck him then.” And with that Billy went to start on the pie.

~

Things got weird like Billy suspected but not the bad kind of weird. Steve had dropped by to pick the pie later that day and he was acting normal, only a bit shyer if Billy was reading it correctly. They didn’t have much time to talk since Steve had to go home and get ready.

No, things got weird a few days later when he arrived home after work and his phone vibrated. He took it out of his pocket and saw Steve’s name on the screen, followed by a single ‘hi’. Billy stared at his phone for a few seconds in confusion. Maybe Steve had sent the message to the wrong number. Why else he would text Billy?

He opened the message and sent a reply.

_ “Hello?” _

His phone vibrate again just a minute later.

_ “This is weird, but I wanted to text you.” _

_ “May I ask why?” _ Billy was now walking to his bedroom so he could shower.

_ “I don’t know. Just felt like it would be cool to talk to you. I can stop texting you if you want.” _

Billy rolled his eyes at his phone. He could imagine Steve’s huge Bambi eyes looking at him.

_ “It’s okay. We can text. Decided you needed more friends at your age then?” _ Billy decided to mess with him.

_ “Yeah and who is better to be my new friend than a guy who bakes delicious cakes?” _

_ “Oh, I see how this is playing. You only want to be my friend so I can give you free food. I’m hurt.” _ Billy’s shower could wait a little as he dropped himself on his bed and continued texting Steve.

_ “Damn it, man. You caught me. I really thought this was going to work.”  _

They kept exchanging texts in the next few days. Steve was always sending him messages through the day, most of them complaining about his work, which Billy had learned it was at a book company. Billy sometimes sent Steve pictures of new recipes that he was trying out for the first time only to get back a ‘you’re making me hungry, stop it’ as a reply. 

They were kind of friends and Billy liked it. Steve was cool and funny so he chose to ignore the crush and focus on being a good friend. It was better than nothing.

~

Billy was just finishing decorating the last few cookies for the Valentine’s Day at the bakery when the bell by the door jingled and someone entered it.

“Please kill me.” He heard Steve’s voice from behind his back and laughed before turning his face, looking over his shoulder to the boy, who had dropped his head to the counter.

“Hello to you too. Why should I kill you?” He turned back to the cookies, writing down ‘I love you’ in white glace in one of the pink hearts.

“I hate Valentine’s Day.” He replied like it was a good enough reason to kill someone.

“I don’t like it either but here I am baking heart cookies for the love birds to buy.” He scoffed and kept working on the cookies.

“At least you get money from it, there’s a good reason on doing that.” 

“Yeah. So, may I ask why you hate this date?”

“Because I’m always alone. Never had someone during this stupid date. Well, one year I almost had, but then she broke up with me a week before.  I had already bought her a gift and she just called our relationship bullshit during a party.” Billy turned to face Steve, finding the boy staring at the wall with a sad face.

He hated seeing Steve like this. He liked to see Steve smile and laugh, not miserable.

“Ouch, that sucks. But it’s her loss, you are a catch. You’ll find someone soon, don’t worry.”

“I just feel so blue during this date, like I’m unwanted and not worthy of love, you know?” Steve sighed and dropped his gaze to the counter.

Yeah, Billy knew the feeling. He always felt the same, not only on Valentine’s Day but every day of his life. His father was always screaming at him about how he was sick and a freak. That he would never find someone who could love him and after hearing this shit a lot through the years he started believing that. But Steve? Steve was not unlovable. Steve was the most lovable person he met in his whole life. He deserved to be cherished and pampered. Billy wanted to be the one responsible for this.

“You’re not unwanted, Steve. Don’t go down that route, there’s no turning back if you go. Believe me, I know. You’ll find love, okay?” Billy had moved to face Steve and was in front of him, the counter between them. “You’re the most amazing person I’ve met in Chicago. Hell, in my whole life probably. You are always taking care of those kids even if they are almost adults now. You are loveable; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Billy could see a shine in Steve’s eyes and a tiny smile appear on his face and felt his heart beat fast. 

He knew it was risky what he was about to do, but he needed to show Steve he was saying the truth. He turned his back again, grabbing a cookie and the glace, writing something down on it. Then he grabbed two more and wrote again. He took a deep breath and turned back to Steve, sliding the cookies to the boy, his eyes looking anywhere but him.

Steve dropped his gazer to the counter, where three cookies with stuff wrote on it were staring at him. He read the first one.

_ I got a crush on you _

He felt his breath stop for a second before moving his eyes to the second one.

_ Since the first time I saw you _

Steve now had his mouth opened in surprise while Billy was in silence and not looking at him. He looked at the last cookie.

_ Do you want to go out? _

Billy saw Steve gasp in his peripheral vision before the boy turned his back and walked to the door. Billy closed his eyes, cursing himself. He had ruined everything and now Steve was leaving and he would never talk to Billy again. He was trying to hold back tears when he realized the bell didn’t ring. Opening his eyes he saw Steve walkig back in his direction.

“What are you doing?” Billy’s voice was low and sad, his blue eyes watery as he looked at the boy.

“Closing the bakery.” Steve was now walking around the counter, stopping in front of Billy.

“Why?” Billy’s eye found Steve’s and he felt his heart beat faster and faster. Steve was so close to him that Billy could see the pretty details on his face.

Steve smiled softly at the blond boy in front of him, his hand moving to clean up the tear that escaped from his eyes. “So we can have our date, silly boy.”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Steve moved his hand to cup at Billy’s jaw, angling his face so he could bring their lips together softly, his thumb stroking Billy’s face. Billy felt like his heart had stopped for a second before moving even closer to Steve, their mouths pressed up against each other. Billy licked Steve’s bottom lip, trying to deepen the kiss but the other boy moved back and chuckled at him.

“No, no, no. You only get a better kiss after we eat all the sweetness inside this store. Come on, babe. Let’s have our first date.” Steve grabbed Billy’s hand in one of his and the other went to grab the cookies at the counter, walking to one of the tables so they could finally start their new road to love.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @c0bblenygma


End file.
